Braiding machine and method



Dec. 15,1925. 1,565,990

5:. c. DANDY ET AL BRAIDING MAQHINE AND METHOD Filed fliay 20, 1925 2Sheets-Sheet 1 1,565,990 E. c. DANDY ET AL BRAIDING MACHINE AND METHODFiled May 20, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i (ll Patented Dec. 15, 1925.

EDWARD C. DANDY AND WILLIAM TIIGWELL, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

BRAIDING MACHINE AND METHOD.

Application filed May 20, 1925. Serial No. 31,489.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that EDWARD G. DANDY and VILLIAMTUGWELL, citizens of the United States of America, both residents of thecity of Baltimore, State of Maryland, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Braiding Machines and Methods,

of which the following is a specification.

In the operation of the standard type of braiding machine as illustratedand described in United States Patent No. 553,623, the point of eachheart cam is one of the most exposed por ions of the walls of thecarrier track or groove and, subject to maximum wear due to friction andshock in the passing of the followers and particularly in the change ofdirection of the followers in entering and leaving the loop, passingfrom and to the main circular track.

To deflect the followers from the main circular track and cause them toenter the loop, the outer wall of this main circular track is providedwith a deflecting portion in the form of an obtuse angled apex oppositethe tangent point of each loop and di rectly opposite the point of theheart cam and spaced therefrom by a distance equal to or slightlygreater than the width of the track. This is another point of maximumwear due to shock and friction of the followers as they are deflected inentering and leaving the loop, and there are two other points which maybe referred to as points of maximum wear, at the termination of theinside wall of the main circular track at each side of the intersectionof the main circular track with each loop track, the four points ofmaximum wear forming the points of an elongated diamond or lozenge,which is, however, slightly distorted from true diamond shape. Thisdistortion is partly due to the deflection of the man circular path oneach side of the entrance to each loop, which deflection brings thisportion. of the circular path into alignment with the connecting portionof the loop and incidentallyforms the obtuse apex referred to oppositethe pointof the heart cam 011 the outside wall of the circular path.

As already pointed out, the four points re ferred to are points ofmaximum wear due to the friction of the followers and to the shockincident to deflecting them from the main circular ath into the loop,and in passing from t e loop into the main circular path.

Excessive wear at these points soon takes place, resulting in increasedhammering and friction, which wear and friction continue to increaseuntil the parts lock or the machine becomes practically inoperative.

The centre plate and corresponding heavy parts are ordinarily made ofcast iron which is a comparatively soft and easily abraided materialwhich wears rapidly at the exposed points.

In regular practice when the machines are properly maintained, thecentre plates or tables are replaced at considerable expense as soon asthe points of deflection referred to become seriously worn, wear atother points in the path being comparatively slow and otherwise oflittle importance as the greatest necessity for smooth and accurateguidance of the followers oc curs at the points of deflection.

One of the main features of the invention resides in the improvement ofthe centre plate whereby wear of the path at the points of deflection ispractically eliminated without greatly increased expense of constructionand whereby other advantages particularly, increased precision inpositioning the operative parts relatively to each other, and increasedefficiency asto both time and accuracy in assembling are attained.

In the preferred form, as illustrated, the hard metal by which thepoints are armed is in the form of ins, and the pins are seated byboring suita 1e holes in the centre plate parallel to the axis of theplate, thus removing the metal from the points and making holes for thepins below the points, andpushing or driving the pins into their finalposition in the holes.

In addition to the guiding andactuation of the bobbin carriers by theparts already described, they are further guided and aligned by a topplate which is placed above and secured to and rotated with the centreplate and is provided with a track or path parallel to and exactlyoverlying the path already described and engaged by an aligningfollower. The path in the top plate differs mainly from the path in thecentre plate in that it does not include the deflecting apexes formingpart of the outside wall in the lower track opposite each intersectionof the loop tracks with the main circular track,

the function of deflecting the followers from the main circular trackinto the loop and from the loop into the main track being served mainlyby the guiding or bottom followers eo-operating with the centre platetrack. In the centre plate the portions encircled by the loops areintegral but the similarly encircled portions of the top plate known asheart cams, are rigidly supported on the centre plate directly over thecorresponding portions of the centre plate, and this support may alsoserve as a bearing for the corresponding star wheel.

A further important function or object of the invention is to locate andposition the upper heart cams relatively to the corresponding portionsof the bottom plate, and particularly to position the upper heart camsand the starwheel bearing relatively to the main points of deflection ofthe bottom plate track already described and to hold the starwheelbearing and the upper heart cams in their relation to these points whichthemselves may be referred to as stationary. This has been an expensiveoperation requiring fine adjustment and an important difficulty has beenthat incident to the displacement of the upper heart cam and thestar-wheel bearing due to the hammering of the followers resulting fromwear at the points of deflection.

An accomplishment of the present invention in addition to increasedconvenience and accuracy in placing these parts and points in properrelation to each other, is the securing of the parts in position, sothat they cannot become displaced and in the greatly increased speedwith which the positioning and assembling of the parts in their properrelation are performed.

The heart cams, which from the nature of things arenecess'arily separatefrom the top plate, are mounted on upright supports which are also thebearing members which carry the star-wheels which swing the carriers andfollowers about the loops, and it is very important that the heart camsbe accu ratelyplaced relatively to theipoints of deflection and to theoutside walls of the loops in the top plate, and the correspondingportions of. the loop in the centre plate, and it is also important thatthe heart cams be rigidly secured against displacement, as the shock ofthe 'arriers and followers incident to deflection is effective to aconsiderable extent in tending to displace the heart cams, and this isparticularly true when the points of deflection on the centre platebecome worn and any dislocation of the heart cams tends to produceharmful binding and knocking, rendering the machine ineflicient and intime inoperative due to breakage and dislocation of parts.

In the form of the invention shown, the upright or--starwheel bearing issecured to the centreeplate, andeachzlieart can; is secured to thecorresponding starwheel hearing by means of a central bolt which passesthrough a cylindrical stud which latter forms the said bearing. In thepreferred form of the invention this cylindrical stud which bears 011the top surface of the centre plate and the bottom surface of thecorresponding heart cam, is connected to the centre plate and to theheart cam, not only by the central bolt but by pins in the cam enteringthe top of the stud and pins connecting the plate to the bottom of thestud. Each pin is seated in a hole drilled for the purpose. An importantfeature of the invention resides in the fact that the holes for the pinswhich are used to arm the points of deflection and the holes for thepins which secure the heart cam to the stud and the stud to the centreplate, may be located in relation to each other and to the parts inwhich they are bored by means of jigs which give absolute accuracy ofspacing and arrangement. In this way the relation of the points andpaths and heart cams is accurately determined Without difficulty, andthe parts are permanently placed, so that dislocation is practicallyimpossible, and the arrangement is uniform in all instances and exactlyas desired: Not only is the convenience of assembling the machine withthe necessary degree of accuracy greatly increased, but the life of themachine is indefinitely extended by reduction of wear at the vitalparts, i. e., the points of deflection, and the permanent and accuratepositioning of the heart cams.

IV e have illustrated portions of a braider constructed and combined inaccordance with the preferred form of our invention.

In the drawing- Figure 1 is a plan of a centre plate showing the drivingpinion and a fragmentary portion of an annulus in their operativearrangement.

Figure 2 is a plan on an enlarged scale showing a fragment of centreplate surrounding and including one of the loop portions and alsoshowing a follower in section.

Figure 3 Fig. 4.

Figure 4 is a top plan view showing principally the top plate.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, each of which is used to indicatethe same or similar parts in the different figures, the machineillustrated is of the familiar type already referred to, used for makingbraided rope as window cord and the like, the invention havingparticular relation to the arm of the points of deflection and to themanner of securing the portions of the top plate known as the heartcams.

The portion of the machine illustrated comprises a. centre .plate 1havingperipheral is a section on the line 3, 3 of ILK gear teeth 2,pinion 3 driving the centre plate, stationary annulus 4 having teeth 5,star-wheels 6r mounted on bearing studs 7, which bearing studs aresecured to the centre plate lrby means of bolts 8 and nuts 9, top plate:10 secured to the centre plate in any suitable manner, separate heartearns 11 se? cured to the centre plate by the bolts 8, each heart cam 11being placed on the corresponding stud 7 and fastened by a correspondingbolt 8. The illustration also includes spindle or bobbin carriers 19,each carrier having a shank or pin 12 whiclrext'ends downward frointhecarrier through the path or slot 14: in the top plate and into the path13 in the centre plate, portions of the pin or member 12 which contactwith the respective being elongated late-rally and flattened on theinner "face at 15 and curved convexly as to the outer, face 16 orotherwise shaped to form followers, the upper follower members whichco-operate with the top plate, being indicated by reference character17, and the lower follower members which cooperate with the centre platebeing indicated by reference character 18.

More specifically the path 13 in the centre plate includes a maincircular track 20 which path is concentric with the plate and is in theterm ot' a groove encircling the plate near the outside and spacedinwardslightly from the bases of the teeth. The track or path 13 also includesloops 21 shown in this instance as four in number, which loops 21approach the circular outline and may be de scribed as spaced equallyapart'along the circular path and tangent thereto, the radius of eachloop, from the centre to the tangent point being slightly elongated sothat the portions 22 enclosed within each loop are termed each with apoint- 23 disposed outwardl in a. radial direction, i. e., toward themain circular track 20, and in the centre plate the outer wall of thetrack is prorided withcorresponding points or projections 2 oppositeeach of; the points 23 and spaced therefrom a distance,substantiallyequal to or slightly greater than the width of the path, the projectionor point 2-it servingto deflect the followers, nto the loop, whichiscontinuous withlthe circular track in both directions from the tangentpoint.

In accordance with the well-known op eration of this type of machine,thecarriers 19' are engaged in turn and carried about each respectiveloop by star-wheels 6, see Figure 3, the arms of the wheels engaging thecarriers to the waist portion 27 thereof between the followers, eachcarrier after it has encircled a loop being delivered to one of therecesses 28 of the annulus and held thereby until taken up by the nextstarwheel, it being understood that theannulus isstationary and thecentre plate constantly rotating, and that the star-wheels are driven byengagement of the teeth 29 thereof with the teeth 30 of the annulus.

- As already pointed out, the maximum wear due to the maximum of shockand friction occurs at what may be termed the four points of deflection23, 24, 33 and 3d at the intersection or tangent point of each loop 21with the main circular track, and as wear at this point causes knockingand detracts from the etliciency with which the cams are deflected fromthe main circular track to the loop track and returned from the looptrack to the main circular track, and the wear when once begun, rapidlyincreases, the tendency to wear is considered one of the importantdefects-0t the machine as now in use.

To overcome the difliculty thus pointed out and thereby increase thelife of the machine and improve its operation, and tor other purposespointed out in the statement or invention and to be further discussed,the applicants have armed the points of deflection 23, 24L and 33, 3with hard metal, which presents many times the esistance to abrasion andshock presented by the cast iron material of the centre plate aspreviously constructed, and this arming of the points of deflection isaccomplished in accordance with a method which is a feature of theinvention and which makes it possible to place these points in the exactrelation to the loop path and circular path intended with exactuniformity inevery instance and with the least expenditure of time andmaterial, and, i

further, in such a way as to reduce the cost of assembling the heartcams in the desired relation to the top plate, and both the cams and topplate in the desired relation to the centre plate and point ofdeflection, the

method being such that the arming of these points and the placing of theheart cams becomes in the main a jig operation.

The method consists indrilling the top plate at the points 23, 24, 323,8st at the apexcs o't theintersection ot the walls of the tol lowerpath, 20, 21 with the loop, thus removing the metal forming each pointand making a hole beneath and driving or otherwise setting in the holesthus formed round hard metal pins 35, 36, 37, 38, which when thusplaced'torm the follower contacting portions of these points ofintersection, entirely relieving the cast iron walls of the groove ofthe excessive wear due to contact with the follower at these points.These main points oi. contact being formed of wear-resisting material,the cast iron surfaces immediately adjacent these points are soprotected that the wear ol such surfaces becomes almost immaterial, andthelite of the structure is correspondingly increased.

Another difficulty with such machines, as already outlined in thestatement of invention, relates to the mounting of the heart iii cams11, Fig. 4, and the tendency of these cams to become displaced due tothe knock ing of the followers, which as aforesaid is greatly increasedwhen the parts become worn. In accordance withthe present practice ofbuilding and assembling the machines, the task of setting these cams inthe first instance is one which consumes a great amount of time.

The present invention provides means for locating the heart cams 11relatively to'the points of deflection 23, 24, 33, 34, making this a jigoperation which can be performed with the greatest accuracy in acomparative- 1y short period of time and therefore with greatly reducedexpense, and when so located the cams are firmly secured, so that thereis no possibility of displacement due to loosening of the parts, and,further the location of the cams is absolutely' uniform and accurate inall instances.

The method consists in drilling in each heart cam and spaced away fromthe central aperture 40 which receives the bolt 8, pin holes 41, whichextend through the cam and down into the bearing member 7, respectively,whereby the cams may be pinned to the bearing member 7 with absoluteuniformity in every instance. The bearing member 7 and centre plate 1are also drilled with holes 42 on each side of the hole 43 in thelatter, which receives the bolt 8 and in these holes are inserted pins44. It will be apparent that by means of a suitable jig the pins 35, 36,37, 38 or the holes to receive them and the holes 42 to receive the pins44, may be placed in relation to each other with extreme accuracy, andthat in turn the holes 41 may be likewise accurately located relativelyto holes 42. The holes 41 in the heart cams which co-operate with theholes 41 in the bearing member, may be by similar means located withextreme accuracy relatively to the surfaces of the heart cam, and whenthe holes are all thus bored, the parts may be assembled with ease insuch a way as to make the relation of the heart cam to the points ofdeflection 23, 24, 33, 34 and to the remainder of the track, absolutelydefinite and uniform in every instance, and when the points ofdeflection are so armed and the heart cams are pinned in position as described, and further secured by the bolts 8, not only is the wear at thepoint of intersection of the loop track andthe main cir cnlar trackgreatly reduced, the life of the machine correspondingly increased andthe tendency to knock eliminated, but the tendency to dislocate theheart cams interfering with the operation of the machine, is likewiseovercome.

\Ve have thus described specifically and in detail a single embodimentof our invention and the method of practicing the same order that tlienature and. operationnf the plate, star-wheels and an device and methodof assembling may be clearly understood; however, the specific termsherein are used descriptively rather than in a limiting sense, the scopeof the invention being defined in the claims.

lVhat we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a braider having a centre plate with a main track and a loop trackintersecting the main track, so that the operative surfaces of the trackmeet in points at the intersection, means for arming said pointscomprising hard metal pins Seated in the centre plate, the surfaces ofthe pins forming part of the operative surface at the points ofintersection and resisting the friction and shock or the followers inpassing from the circular track to the loop track and vice versaandpreventing wear at this point.

2. In a braiding machine, a centre-plate having a circular groove whichserves as a follower t ack and loop tracks in the form of groovesjoining the main circular track, carriers having followers co-operatingwith said grooves, a top plate having a corresponding track in the formof a slot, carriers having followers to co-operate with the top plateslot, separate cam members forming the inner walls of the loop track inthe top plate, star-wheels and an annular gear for actuating thestarwheels, means for rotating the centre plate and top plate, means forsup porting and securing the cams comprising an upright stud for eachcam forming a bearing for the star-wheel and a support for the cam, andmeans for securing the cams and the studs to the centre plate comprisinga plurality of pins parallel to the axis of the starwheel and connectingthe cam to the stud at the top and connecting the stud to the centreplate at the bottom, the pins being spaced outwardly from the centre ofall said members.

3. In a braiding machine, a centre plate having a circular groove whichserves as a follower track and a loop track in the form of grooveintersecting the main circular track, carriers having followersco-operating with said grooves, a top plate having corresponding tracksin the form of slots, carriers having followers to co-operate with thetop plate slots, separate cam members forming the inner walls 'oftheloop track in the top annular gear for actuating the carriers, means forrotating the centre plate and top plate, means for supporting andsecuring the cams comprising an upright stud for each cam forming ahearing for the star-wheel and a support for the cam, and means forsecuring the cams and the studs to the centre-plate comprising aplurality of pins parallel to the axis of the star-wheel and connectingthe cam to the stud at the top and-a plurality of pins'also paralle t-the axis cene ct 'ns t ieest i t0 the centre plate at the bottom, thepins being spaced outwardly from the centre of all said members. and aseries of pins also parallel to the axis forming the points ofintersection of the circular grooves and the loop grooves in thecentre-plate.

- l. In a braiding machine, a centre-plate, a top plate, both saidplates having circular tracks and loop tracks, the centre portions ofthe loop tracks in the top plate being separate, means for supportingthe centre portions inside the loop tracks in the top plate consistingof an upright member, means for securing the centre portions inposition, comprising a pin spaced out from the centre of the upright,securing the upright member to the centre plate and a pin likewisespaced out from the centre securing the central portion to the top ofthe upright member, said pins being substantially parallel to the axesof the plates.

5. In a. braiding machine a centre plate, a top plate, both said plateshaving circular tracks and loop tracks, the centre portions enclosed bythe loop tracks in the top plate being separate, means for supportingthe centre portions of the loop tracks and top plate, consisting of anupright member, a pin spaced out from the centre of the upright securingthe upright member to the centre plate, a pin likewise spaced out fromthe centre securing the central portion to the top of the uprightmember, said pins being substantially parallel to the axes of theplates, a series of pins seated in the centre plate and forming thepoints of the walls at the intersections of the loop tracks in thecircular track.

(3. In a braiding machine, the combination of a centre plate having acircular track in the form of a groove and intersecting loop tracks alsoin the form of grooves, a top plate having slotted tracks correspondingwith those of the centre plate with a separate centre member forming theenclosed portion within each loop track and star wheels for each looptrack, a bearing member for the star wheels supported on the centreplate and supporting the centre portion of each loop track, means forsecuring the said centre members in position, comprising pins parallelto the axis-extending through the centre portions into the bearingmember of the corresponding star wheel, said pins being spaced out fromthe centre, pins similarly placed parallel to the axis and spaced outfrom the centre connecting the other end of the bearing member to thecentre plate, pins seated in the centre plate at the points formed bythe groove walls at the intersections of the loop tracks of the maintracks, and forming the operative surface of the track at the point.

Signed by us at Baltimore, Maryland, this 11th day of May, 1925.

EDWARD G. DANDY. .WILLIAM TUGWELL.

